Time to battle for the centre

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Since the SNP’s remarkable landslide victory in May’s Holyrood election, potential candidates have lined up to say they don’t want to succeed Iain Gray as Scottish Labour leader.

Labour is almost certain to elect its “fourth choice” candidate, current deputy leader Johann Lamont. It’s a prospect that delights the SNP leadership. They believe Ms Lamont will instinctively move her party further from the middle class, centre-ground voters Alex Salmond continues to woo.

She has a reputation as a champion of what politicians call “the most vulnerable”. But she must find